I Love You Too
by Surf-merGirl1963
Summary: A three-chapter fic just in time for Valentine's Day. Please R&R. Thanks!
1. Part I

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the characters from the movie.

**Author's Note:** Here is a little Valentine's Day story written in reply to a suggestion made by Barbiegirl2435. I'll admit that it's kind of cliché and maybe even a little cheesy, but if you like fluff stories, here's one for you! Also, to put all credit where credit is due, I got the title for this story from one of my favorite oldies songs by _The Fourmost _(If you've never heard the song, I most certainly recommend it). Happy reading!

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Part I  
**Science and Sonnets**

The sun was shining bright as Anneliese gathered her science books together. It was a symbol that her studies had now been completed and the rest of the day was hers; oh, how happy she was that this was the case.

It was February 14th, a day not taken lightly by the subjects in her kingdom. The day meant gifts of flowers and candy, kisses and hugs, all shared between family, friends, and sweethearts, as cool winds blew and the sun danced across a clear blue sky. The princess was no exception. She already had in mind to write out a series of valentines and send them to her very own sweetheart, Julian.

"Well, I suppose that ends our studies for the day. Any questions?" The tall blonde man turned to her as she rose from her desk.

"No. I think that does it." She smiled at him warmly, a token he instantly returned, only to be rudely interrupted.

"Princess! There you are!" With all the insolence of every grand entrance, Preminger, the royal adviser, strutted into the room. His black poodle followed closely behind, prancing happily at his heels.

"Oh, hello, Preminger." Anneliese nodded to him, frowning slightly as she saw Julian take this as his cue to leave. "May I help you?"

"Indeed you can." Preminger grinned as a manservant also entered the room, a large red dress draped over his right arm. "Your mother sent this dress up for you. You are to wear it to the masquerade ball tonight."

"Ball?"

"Why yes! The annual Valentine's Day ball! Have you forgotten?"

Indeed she had. The princess lowered her eyes, turning to Julian, whom she saw by the desk straightening her books.

"Never mind." Preminger motioned the manservant forward and he gently laid the gown on her bed. "The dance starts at eight sharp. Tabitha will be sent up soon to help you with your preparations."

Anneliese nodded. "Thank you, Preminger." Her smile was stiff as she watched him exit the room. The manservant closed the doors behind them.

By this time, Julian had also gathered his things and headed for the door.

"Julian," She stopped him, holding up her hand.

"Yes, Princess?"

She swiftly looked away from him and to the books he held in his arms. "Please," She paused. "You may leave that book here. I'd like to study it some more, if I may."

He smiled warmly and passed her the requested book. "Of course, your highness." He bowed and then passed the item off to her.

They paused for a moment, each with a hand on the book. Their eyes locked briefly and butterflies danced in her stomach. _Oh how handsome he is! How much I wish I knew if he felt the same. I love you Julian. Nothing can or will ever change that._ She searched for a similar declaration in his own eyes.

Julian broke the moment as he cleared his throat and turned away. "Enjoy the rest of your day, Princess."

"Thank you." Anneliese watched him leave feeling empty and sad. Like every lesson, this one had gone by too soon. Sighing, she returned to her desk, setting down the book with a bang. Her disappointment of the afternoon was now heavy upon her. She had seen into his eyes, and nothing had been there. She began to wonder how long she'd have to wait for true love.

"Meow!" A white cat leapt up onto the desktop and landed with a thump.

"Oh, Serafina! Get off of there!" The princess waved the feline away, causing both the cat and one of her textbooks to tumble to the floor. She gasped as she saw something flutter out. Quickly, she went to her knees picking the small pink envelope from off the floor. She was surprised to find her name written on the side. "Did this fall from my book?" She looked up at the desk and then back to the envelope, flipping it over. Where had it come from? She had never seen such an odd-colored envelope before. Who could have slipped it into the textbook?

Sensing no fear, Anneliese went on to open the packet, pulling from it a single page of pink paper. On it, written in delicate scroll was a poem:

_With each new dawn,  
__A yellow sunrise,  
__I see the sweet girl,  
__With beautiful eyes._

_Her long blonde hair,  
__Like shining spun gold,  
I__t is her I long,  
__To have and to hold._

Anneliese read the words again and again, charmed by the content and the mysteriousness of it all. The letter was left unsigned. She wondered what it could mean. Did she have a secret admirer? She figured it wouldn't be impossible, but who? With all the guards about the castle, it would have to be an inside job. One of the kitchen boys? Preminger? Julian?

The last option warmed her. Oh how she hoped it was he! He was learned enough to be a fine writer. He seemed a logical choice. Yet then, she remembered his empty eyes and her feelings of hope decreased. No, it couldn't be from Julian, for he did not love her in return.


	2. Part II

**Part II  
****Clues, Clues, and More Clues**

By the time Tabby was done with the preparations, Anneliese had found three more letters. Each one was the same as the first; a pink envelope addressed to her and a love poem inside. It seemed strange to her, but each letter she found seemed to be drawing her a picture.

The first had been plain mushy, but the ones to follow seemed almost like clues. After all she had read, she was no closer to deciding who her secret admirer was, though she did feel she knew more about him. He was someone she knew, he was shy, and he saw her everyday. It wasn't much to go on and Anneliese could think of several boys she knew that fit that very description, unfortunately, none of the options pleased her.

"Almost done, your highness. My! Don't you look beautiful?"

Anneliese looked into the vanity mirror as Tabitha tugged one last time at her curly tresses. The crown was now in place and the transformation complete. She had turned from a timid princess to a Valentine queen in a matter of hours. She smiled at the reflection, feeling a little too done up for her taste, but pretty just the same. "Thank you, Tabby."

"Aw, your highness. It's what I was hired to do." The maid stepped back for a final look at her creation. "And now you're done. Not a moment too soon I'd say as well."

Anneliese nodded following the maid's gaze to the clock on the wall. Seven-thirty. She still had a half hour before she'd be expected downstairs. She decided to take this time to do a little more science study.

"Well, I'd best be going now. Enjoy the party, Princess. Mister Preminger shall be up shortly to escort you I'm sure."

Anneliese nodded to her maid politely. "Yes. Thank you, Tabby." She watched at the redheaded walked from the room, closing the doors firmly behind her. It's not until she left that Anneliese released the breath she'd been holding and returned to her desk, opening her science book, hoping to jump in at chapter fifteen. Her hopes to study were thwarted however; as her eyes wandered to the small stack of pink envelopes she had nearby. She just couldn't ignore them, she wanted answers.

Slowly, she reached for the stack and laid them out in front of her; revealing each poem as she did so. She read them again and again hoping to find another clue. Serafina soon joined her, leaping up onto the desktop.

"I just don't understand it, Serafina." Anneliese said as she patted the cat on the head, her eyes scanning the poems again one-by-one. "Who could he be?"

Serafina purred, rubbing her head on her master's hand. It is here the princess noticed something stuck beneath the cat's collar. She turned to look, her eyes widening at the sight of another pink envelope. As on all the others, her name was written on front and a poem was inside.

"Where did you get this, you silly girl?" Anneliese asked the cat as she quickly scanned over the poem. Her heart began to beat faster.

_Today is a day for valentine wishes,  
__For secrets to stray from dark lone abysses.  
__So soon you will learn my identity,  
__For tonight is the ball and you'll dance with me._

_Though all the guest's faces will be cleanly hidden,  
__A masquerade ball will not leave you ridden.  
__I won't keep you guessing, nor reason for delves.  
__My mask I'll remove when 'grandpa' chimes twelve._

The ball that night! He had mentioned the masquerade ball of that night! Anneliese was basically flying. _'My mask I'll remove?' He's going to reveal himself to me tonight. No more guessing, at long last I'll know who he is, even if I may be left disappointed._ She couldn't believe it. It felt so good to know that soon her curiosities would finally be put to rest. Finally, she would have some peace.


	3. Part III

**Part III  
****I Love You Too**

The ball was already in full swing by the time Anneliese and Preminger entered the room. The princess instantly went to the side of her mother, politely ignoring all the looks and smiles she received from passing enthusiasts. Time for princes she didn't have. After all, she had a date to keep with her secret admirer.

"My! Don't you look lovely?" Queen Genevieve smiled brightly at her daughter as the red-clad beauty approached. "I knew that dress would look simply stunning on you. Didn't I tell you, Preminger? I knew that dress would look marvelous on our little princess."

"As you did, your highness." Preminger nodded.

Anneliese turned to the crowd. As she, everyone's face was hidden behind a mask. If not for her crown, Anneliese was sure she would blend right in with the remaining red dresses and black suits. It was a beautiful spectacle, though it always was. Her mother had really outdone herself selecting a variety of red and white roses, ribbon, and tulle. The ballroom looked like a valentine fantasist's dream.

"May I have this dance?"

Many young men approached her at once and she took liberty at promising each one a dance. After all, she didn't want to cheapen her chances at finding her secret admirer. She glanced at the clock as she passed by the old grandfather on her third dance of the night. Eight-thirty. She still had over three hours to wait before her admirer's unveiling. Her curiosity was at such a high peak now that she was finding it hard to concentrate.

She soon took a break from dancing as one of her favorite songs started up. She took a side seat and looked over at the small-assembled orchestra in the corner as the first notes of Camille Saint-Saëns's _The Swan_ began to play. _What a beautiful night._ She sighed closing her eyes briefly to inhale deeply the smell of fragrant roses and decadent cakes. She could only imagine it getting even more lovely as the night progressed.

She opened her eyes again, taking a moment to look out the doors and onto the nearby balcony. She instantly spotted a dark figure, standing alone by the railing. He was wearing a suit; she figured he was one of the ball's guests getting a quick breath of fresh air, before returning to the crowds.

"Princess?"

She turned as someone addressed her. Another handsome gentleman towered above, offering her his hand. "May I have this dance?"

"Oh! Of course." She took his hand quickly and allowed him to lead her out onto the dance floor. For some reason, she soon found her eyes wandering back to the doors of the balcony. Who was out there? She couldn't help but wonder and anxiously watched as the figure in question came into view. She instantly took notice of his honey-blonde hair tied back to his neck with a thick red ribbon. He seemed very familiar to her somehow and she tried hard to place him.

Anneliese glanced up at the clock. Eleven fifteen. It wouldn't belong before midnight. She let the song carry her as the man danced with her through several songs. As midnight approached, she soon grew worried. Was she already dancing with her secret admirer, or had he yet to take her across the polished marble surface?

At eleven-fifty her questions were finally answered as a blonde man cut in and took his turn in dancing with her. She looked at him closely, and noticed he was the very man she had seen out on the balcony no more than an hour before.

"Who are you?" She found herself asking and he responded softly, with a riddle.

"Patience, patience, inquisitive you, for ten minutes off is our planned rendezvous."

He was telling her to wait. She couldn't help but feel a bit nervous as the music continued. Here was her secret admirer, she now danced in his arms, but who was he, and how long until she would find out? She looked at the clock, counting away the minutes. At eleven-fifty-nine, her mother called everyone's attention and made an announcement.

"As is custom at any masquerade ball, when the clock strikes twelve everyone is to remove their mask." Queen Genevieve smiled widely at her audience. "The party isn't over until one, so please, continue enjoying yourselves."

Just as soon as she finished, the large grandfather clock in the corner chimed twelve. Anneliese wasted no time in pulling off her own mask, wanting to be sure she could clearly see the face of her admirer.

What she saw surprised her. "Julian?"

"Anneliese."

She was too happy for words. Her heart told her to hug him instantly. Was it true? Was Julian truly her secret admirer? "You're the one that sent me all those letters?"

He seemed almost embarrassed when he answered. "Yes. I'm sorry. I'm afraid I'm not too good at poetry."

"I thought they were lovely."

Time seemed to stand still for a moment as Anneliese gazed into the eyes of her admirer and a chorus of surprised ooohs and ahhhs surrounded them as people discovered the identities of their own dancing partners. The emptiness in his eyes was no longer there. Now, lost in the deep pools of icicle blue were the feelings of a man deeply in love. Anneliese heart melted as she realized that she had been wrong all along. He truly did care.

"I love you Anneliese." Julian lifted his hand and caresses the cheek of his princess. "I always have and always will."

Anneliese own eyes glazed over as she looked back at him, hoping her eyes were telling him more then she knew these few simple words would do. "I love you too."


End file.
